Those who've read this column know I've been highly critical of Senator John McCain. I've beat him up for the wretched campaign finance law President Bush should've had the guts to veto and the Gang of 14 gig which derailed GOP momentum on the major issue of judicial appointments. And I'm  not forgetting the "ending gunshow loopholes" and other dumb shots at his own feet - and constituency. But politics is a matter of compared to what.

I was invited to a McCain fund-raising luncheon last week. Timing was great because I was about to address the sick spectacle of those Brit Marines groveling to their Iranian captors.

"Fighting back was not an option" their young officer stated. They were blindfolded, kept apart, and menaced by the sound of rifles cocking. They were told either admit they were illegally in Iranian waters and spying or they'd be put on trial. So they caved. Most pathetic was the lady sailor who said she felt like a traitor but was afraid they'd try and imprison her for seven years.

Their actions were craven. Some mitigation comes from the attitude of their government, which applauded them. Apparently portions of the Royal Marines Prisoner Behavior Manual were cancelled

Watching this wretched display of the moral collapse of a once gallant ally, I saw some comparisons. The guys in the Bataan Death March; the allied airmen who made the Great Escape; the POWs in Korea and Viet-Nam who were tortured (and many killed) to force them to confess to propaganda claims.

And I thought of John McCain. Five and a half years in the Hanoi Hilton and ashamed that he finally broke. I recalled that he can't lift his arms above his shoulders, and that as Admiral McCain's son he was offered early release, which he turned down. On a comparable time scale, McCain went the whole 15 rounds while those Brit weenies didn't even make the ten count.

Character counts. I have disagreed with McCain and I have even called him Senator Mood Ring, but I have never accused him of pandering or insincerity.

He isn't pandering to anybody on Iraq. He has consistently supported that war but been critical of it's management. He hasn't moved closer to President Bush, Bush moved closer to him by adopting a strategy that McCain called for and that the Democrats once supported themselves over a span of several focus group cycles.

And he didn't pander when the hyenas howled over the "Bomb Iran" song parody. He basically told his critics to stuff it. Damn, reminds me of Harry Truman.

He has remained consistent on the spending issue and would've vetoed much of what the GOP Congress passed and this President signed - and which cost the GOP more votes than Iraq. McCain told us he would not only veto pork bills and those with earmarks but would happily name those who sponsored them.

I believe him. I've never doubted him. While he's still not my choice, I'm cooling on others.

Rudy I thought most electable but recent antics in Oklahoma shake that concept. Addressing a large energy group, he failed to mention natural gas. Bad enough but he took a call on his cell phone then left the podium and never returned. Scary. Mitt Romney's religion is no problem for me, but that appears to be the only thing where he hasn't switched positions

But I'll take any of them over the leading Democrats. Edwards is disqualified as no sane American wants a guy so vain he gets $400 haircuts, period. I heard Obama and Hillary both pandering to Al Sharpton's gang. If Obama wants to be a unifier he'll need to transcend that version of Step'nfetchit. Hillary's adjustable accent sounds like she hired Foghorn Leghorn as a speech coach.

Compared to this field, John McCain towers above most of it.